Identifying a GOOD, used radial arm saw

[John Coloccia]

I'm possibly looking to bring in a good, used radial arm saw. How do I identify the good ones from the bad ones? I need this thing to really be dead nuts accurate and to stay that way. I know the old ones are good, but how old? Which ones? How do I identify them? What's a fair price? LOL...I know I know, but I'll take any help I can get. :D

I'm just spending too much time fiddling around with my "spare" contractor saw, currently relegated to some slotting operations. It seems like I'm always adjusting it. I really need a tool I can rely on. I've already wasted half a day trying to find the latest gremlin, not to mention all the time spent compensating for imperfect performance after the fact.

Thanks for any help :)

[Van Huskey]

I am a fan of OMGA and Original Saw Co but they are a little harder to find than a Dewalt for example and tend to cost more. What is your budget?

[Don Jarvie]

Any old Delta or Dewalt from the 50's or early 60s will be what you are looking for. The smaller ones are easier to come by than the larger ones. The bigger saws over 1 hp are sometimes 3 phase but if you have 3 phase your all set.

[John Coloccia]

I am a fan of OMGA and Original Saw Co but they are a little harder to find than a Dewalt for example and tend to cost more. What is your budget?

I wouldn't even know what to budget for it. $500....$800? I don't know.

[John Coloccia]

BTW, I figured out the gremlin this time, and it's fatal as far as I'm concerned. The arbor has a ridiculous amount of play in it. I think I just finally wore out that cheap saw, and I've no intention of putting another minute into it. :)

[Myk Rian]

I wouldn't even know what to budget for it. $500....$800? I don't know.
$500-$800 for a totally rebuilt one is still way high.
For a good used DeWalt, about $150 max. Might need a cleaning and bearing work. But you'll wind up with a dead-nuts accurate saw.

I know a lot of the people hang out here, but sign-up on the DeWalt forums. Then check the Classifieds.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start?lgnJR=1

[John Coloccia]

$500-$800 for a totally rebuilt one is still way high.
For a good used DeWalt, about $150 max. Might need a cleaning and bearing work. But you'll wind up with a dead-nuts accurate saw.

I know a lot of the people hang out here, but sign-up on the DeWalt forums. Then check the Classifieds.
http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start?lgnJR=1

So now that they all know I don't have a clue what to pay for these things, I should probably sign up under an alias? LOL.

[Myk Rian]

What are you planning to use if for? That makes a big difference in what to look for.
If it's for trim or picture frames, etc. up to an inch or so, an MBF will do you well.
If you want to do framing with it, that makes a bigger saw your choice.

I restored an MBF 9" and put an 8" blade on it. Super accurate saw.

http://i938.photobucket.com/albums/ad222/MykRian/DeWalt MBF RAS/0423001517.jpg

[Neil Brooks]

The RAS thing, though, is a lot like the table saw thing. You can buy as much, or as little, RAS as you want.

The "round arm" DeWalts ARE excellent saws, but ... to give you a bit of higher-end perspective ..... $1,775 will get you one of these bad boys. (http://www.exfactory.com/Detail.aspx?recnum=SR-280380),

http://exfmdb.s3.amazonaws.com/SR/28038001_exflogo.jpg

while $100 WILL get you a good "hobbyist" MBF model.

http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/images/11815-C.jpg

Either way, great saws !

[John Coloccia]

In the immediate future, for slotting fingerboards, but if it's in the shop anyway, I will probably use it to make scarf joints, break down rough lumber, make kerfed linings, square up the heel of necks, etc. If it's here anyway, I would probably use it for anything that resembles a crosscut, I would guess.

[John Coloccia]

Neil: so you're saying the next time I see a GE14 for sale for $400, I should buy it? Is it simple to replace a 3 phase motor with a regular motor in those things, or would that be a project. I definitely don't want a project. :)

[Stephen Cherry]

Are the Maggi saws worth considering? I've seen these show up in auctions.

[Myk Rian]

Once the saw is setup, and a kerf is cut through the fence, that kerf makes an excellent alignment mark.

[Thomas Hotchkin]

John
Look up Dewalt Radial Arm Saw forum on yahoo called delphi. Lot of members in your area. I paid $200 for a 1955 Dewalt GWI with a 10" blade 14 amps off Craigslist. If you go to a larger 12-14" saw you pay a lot for that one inch hole in the center of the blade. Tom

[Van Huskey]

So now that they all know I don't have a clue what to pay for these things, I should probably sign up under an alias? LOL.


No need for that as Neil began to point out prices can go way up. The good OMGA and Original Saw RAS will usually begin around 1,200-1,500. Now it becomes a matter of figuring out what you plan to do with it.

Regarding 3 phase, if you find a good 3ph one at a good price just leave the 3ph motor on and run it on a VFD then you can have motor braking also.

[Myk Rian]

John
Look up Dewalt Radial Arm Saw forum on yahoo called delphi.
Already posted up-thread.

[Keith Avery]

The Industrial Deltas are as good as the Industrial Dewalts. Some prefer the turret arm design and some do not. Delta still makes the 14"-18" saw in the USA and they are as well made as any RAS ever made. Almost constantly there is an 14" or larger Delta on ebay for less than 1k often much less. The 3 phase models are sold for little more than scrap metal prices. I bought a late 90s Delta 33-411 for less than $300. I had to do a little work on it, but it now looks and works like new. Most of the big RAS's weigh around 800lbs and do not lose adjustment unless you take a baseball bat to them, I looked at many before i bought mine and the Dewalts are awesome too. I find 16" blades are cheaper than 10" because of lack of demand. SCM saws look nice but none of them will crosscut 29" and cut 6" beams.

[Mark Ashmeade]

Scroll to the lower 2/3s of this page: http://wooditis.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html

It's not mine, but I've got one of these. It was $400. 5Hp, 3 phase, including a converter.

I couldn't be happier. It'll crosscut more than some table saws can rip. The two 45s and the 90 stop are individually adjustable. The beast weighs 742 lb, and is VERY sturdy.

Edited to add that Keith's observations are the same as mine... (we were posting at the same time)!

[Mike Heidrick]

My 16" 33-410 3hp 1ph Delta was 3X the cost of Mark's but I love it.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/BloomingtonMike/P1033684.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/BloomingtonMike/slatwall2.jpg

[Paul Grothouse]

The old dewalts are the very best you can buy. Make sure you look at unit carefully before buying. Run your hand down the inside of the rail where the bearings run. It should be smooth, no bumps or uneveness. This is expensive and requires machining to repair, $$$$$$. Wiggle the head, it should be firm, if there is play something needs fixing. Many times a simple adjustment of the idler bearing will fix it, be careful not to overtighten the bearings (This is common, it pays to bring tools when you go to look). If the bearings are overtightened the head will not roll smoothly. The bearings can be replaced, they are about $100/ea and there are 4 of them, so it is easier buy a saw that doesn't need bearings.

DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT buy one of the ones with the CONCAVE bearings, they are no longer available and you will never be able to resell it.

If you look around they can be had pretty cheap, and there are a lot of them. I would recommend a 3hp single phase model if you have 3 phase you can't beat the 5hp 16" models, I swear by them and have 5 of them. Expect to pay $500 or less for the smaller unit, and $700-1200 for the larger industrial units.

[Van Huskey]

Paul, not trying to argue at all, but do you think they are better than an Original Saw 22" Super Duty or the OMGA 1100/7 like below?

[david brum]

I doubt you'd be disappointed with a vintage DeWalt, Delta or newer OMGA. Chances are pretty good that you'd have to do some restoration work on an older saw. Untold numbers were manufactured in the '40s through '60s, and they are available for a song. You might have to replace some bearings and clean up some congealed grease, but no big deal.

The important considerations IMO are horsepower and width of crosscut. The size and weight of a good RAS increases exponentially when it needs to make a longer/deeper cut. For instance, a RAS that makes a 12" crosscut weighs around 100lbs. An RAS that makes a 24" crosscut is something like 500lbs. Likewise, lots of the earlier saws for home shops had somewhat undersized motors, around .75 actual HP and can bog down in a heavy cut. The bigger saws often have 3+ HP and can cut through anything.

Another consideration is whether you want your table saw blades (except the rip blades) to fit your RAS. Then you're looking at saws which have a 5/8" spindle, which narrows the field somewhat.

[David Winer]

I'm possibly looking to bring in a good, used radial arm saw. How do I identify the good ones from the bad ones?
______________________________________

I spent a lot of time searching for the same answer. And drove a gang of miles to see for myself before finding a truly "good" one. I collected a lot of information in quotes and photos from Sawmill Creek and other internet sites (Word files are available on request and an e-mail address). All this distilled down to a search for the big old Deltas and DeWalts. Eventually I found a 14" Delta (Rockwell/Delta) that seemed in good condition. But having taken a long trip to see a Craigslist DeWalt that turned out in obviously poor condition, I asked the seller to send a lot of high res photos--which he did and which revealed no defects. But it was only when I got it home and could spend some time with it that I could really tell it was ready to go without needing repairs of any kind.

Some folks talk glibly about installing new bearings in a RAS but I consider this job fairly onerous and would seek one that doesn't need new bearings. (There is a school of thought that any old saw should have bearings replaced, but this is counterbalanced by the --if it ain't broke, don't fix it-- school.) Be sure to check the carriage rollers and bearings. Some RAS models are more problematical than others in this regard. Most Deltas have roller-rods in the carriage arm that are designed to be rotated to fresh surfaces should they become worn or pitted. When you go to look at a candidate RAS, take a flashlight so you can look up in the arm and assess those tracks and bearings.

Someone has pointed out that you can still buy a new Delta as good as the old ones. But at a price. I was lucky to get one that qualified as a Sawmill Creek Gloat, and I must add, after a lot of looking and patience. I will attempt to add photos of my saw and the same model currently available.

[Mark Ashmeade]

Some folks talk glibly about installing new bearings in a RAS but I consider this job fairly onerous and would seek one that doesn't need new bearings. (There is a school of thought that any old saw should have bearings replaced, but this is counterbalanced by the --if it ain't broke, don't fix it-- school.) Be sure to check the carriage rollers and bearings. Some RAS models are more problematical than others in this regard. Most Deltas have roller-rods in the carriage arm that are designed to be rotated to fresh surfaces should they become worn or pitted. When you go to look at a candidate RAS, take a flashlight so you can look up in the arm and assess those tracks and bearings.


The bearings in mine were seized (the ones in your third photo). Previous owners had liberally doused the track and bearings in lithium grease, which of course had hardened. Along with the sawdust etc. I got them out and freed them up, and they rotated fine. However, the outer races had some dents in them. This caused the carriage to ride roughly, and you could actually see the bottom of the blade deflect when one of the dents came round to the rod surface. I put new bearings in, and was lucky to get the bearings from Delta. They seem to come & go in availability. They were on back order for months. I got some from a new batch directly from Delta. I now see they're on back order again. However, the job itself was very simple indeed. Anyone with a socket set could do it. The rods cleaned up well, and I rotated them a few degrees. I think there's another couple of decades of life in them.

[Larry Edgerton]

John

I have had a 16" Delta turret saw and a 16" Dewalt, both industrial saws. I was never really happy with either, just too much play in the head. You could get good cuts, but not consistantly. I'm not talking much off, but just enough that it annoyed me.

I now have a Omga 14", and as far as I am concerned there is no comparison. The Omga just cuts better. Instead of four bearings there are eight adjustable bearings in a cross pattern, the ways are stainless and are replaceable. The Delta bearing setup was just not that good. The action is smooth as silk, but there is absolutely no play in the head. I was in the cabinet business when I bought it and it has seen a lot of use, and it has not needed adjustment yet. The only problem I have had is I broke the plastic piece off of the front of the arm, and the cord relief spring broke off of the plastic cover on the top. Both were my fault and not fatal. It is considerably lighter than the old iron, the castings are aluminum, but it is more ridgid.

Omga's on occasion sell in auctions for low prices, I suspect because so few people know what they are. I saw a new/used one go last year in St Louis for a grand, and I paid $4600 for mine new. Almost bought it anyway, but who needs two? Even if you found one with wear, surprisingly the parts are not that bad. Bearings and ways can be replaced, and when I bought mine I checked on the price of the propriatary 3ph motor, and it was just over $500, reasonable I thought.

If you end up with a 16" let me know, I still have a couple of Leitz/Delta blades around brand new.

Larry

[Neil Brooks]

Larry-

Interesting.

Were all of these saws bought new ? Obviously, I ask because ... you're talking about commercial-type RAS's, so ... they may have had (equally OR unequally) very hard lives.

I don't discount what you said, but ... I would be curious if they were all new, all used, or some of each.

My brother has had about three Craftsman RAS's, and couldn't get/keep them aligned. I'm on my first DeWalt -- a 1956 -- and, after going through IT, mechanically, it's just happy being at spot-on.

NOT a production shop machine, though. Maybe those should be LESS likely to ever come out of alignment, even with heavy use. Can't really say for sure.

Tx.

[John Keane]

I have a Craftsman RAS. It is a great saw for cross cutting wood that is less than 10" wide. My wood instructor was adamant that you never use a RAS for ripping. If I had it all to do over again I would buy a 12" DeWalt compound miter saw, and be done with it. Why DEWALT? Every contractor that comes to my house uses DEWALT tools. R/JFK

[Ted Calver]

Norfolk va craigslist has one: PostingID: 2843856194 could be a project though.

[John Coloccia]

Project is the LAST thing I need! :)

I examined the old Delta contractor saw tonight. It's direct drive and the whole thing pivots on this junky little pin for height adjustment. That's where the wobble is coming from. C'est la vie. No reasonable way to tighten it up.

[Myk Rian]

and you could actually see the bottom of the blade deflect when one of the dents came round to the rod surface.
And that is the most important thing to look at. As you move the carriage in and out, push sideways on the blade to see if there is ANY rocking in the carriage. Do this along the entire length of the arm. Can be very expensive to repair if grooves are worn out.

[Kelly Cameron]

Hello Everyone,

I just joined this forum so I can get in on this discussion. A lot of good info. I run a small shop producing turnings for local millwork projects. I make all my own hardwood blanks which are often 6" sq. I took a look at a 16" Original that looked good to me but I only tried a couple cuts with it. I am wondering what models would be good to look at if I want something that is 16"-20" and 3ph is available? Also, what problems to look out for.

Myk, I can't believe how good the AMF looks but I love most things old. We are building a new shop and it is going to be all galvanized siding with fir frame windows. Also our delivery truck is going to be a 1958 White 3000. Your avatar looks like it could be a tattoo...where did you put it?

Thanks!

[John Coloccia]

What do you guys think of something like this? I think the price is ridiculous...he's been reposting this everyday for a while.

http://hartford.craigslist.org/tls/2870332992.html

[John Coloccia]

Question: if I buy something with a large arbor, is there some sort of adapter I can get to step that down to 5/8"?

[John Coloccia]

Also, are any of the older Craftsman any good? That's most of what shows up in my area.

[John Coloccia]

DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT buy one of the ones with the CONCAVE bearings, they are no longer available and you will never be able to resell it.


What do you mean by concave bearings? Is there a simple way of checking for this without taking the saw apart? I'm assuming that a concave bearing is like a screen door bearing.

[Myk Rian]

What do you guys think of something like this? I think the price is ridiculous...he's been reposting this everyday for a while.
Got a Linky?

[John Coloccia]

Sorry...here's the link.

http://hartford.craigslist.org/tls/2870332992.html

[Larry Edgerton]

Have a blade rebored or buy a blade directly from Forest and they will do it for you. They bored my dado set for the MiniMax to 1 1/4" for a minimal charge.

Larry

[Larry Edgerton]

What do you guys think of something like this? I think the price is ridiculous...he's been reposting this everyday for a while.

http://hartford.craigslist.org/tls/2870332992.html

For that much you can buy a used OMGA.

Larry

[John Coloccia]

For that much you can buy a used OMGA.

Larry

Here's the one I'm really after. It's been a couple of weeks so it's probably gone, but we'll see.

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/tls/2791882684.html

[Neil Brooks]

Way too much $$$, John, IMHO.

The second pic I posted was for the MBF (What you're looking at in that CL ad) that I bought. Excellent shape. Paid the asking -- hundred bucks.

I didn't leave 55 year old motor bearings in place. Didn't leave electrical cords or wiring in place, either. These things tend to rot, and grease tends to die a slow painful death. If it's 50+ years old, and didn't HAVE work, it almost surely needs SOME work.

Fully restored ... maybe $250.

If you really want it, well ... then that's totally up to you ... but that price seems verrrrrry high, to me.

Good luck !

[John Coloccia]

Here's the one I'm really after. It's been a couple of weeks so it's probably gone, but we'll see.

http://newhaven.craigslist.org/tls/2791882684.html


Hey, I just got an e-mail. It's still available. Should I go for it?

[John Coloccia]

Way too much $$$, John, IMHO.

The second pic I posted was for the MBF (What you're looking at in that CL ad) that I bought. Excellent shape. Paid the asking -- hundred bucks.

I didn't leave 55 year old motor bearings in place. Didn't leave electrical cords or wiring in place, either. These things tend to rot, and grease tends to die a slow painful death. If it's 50+ years old, and didn't HAVE work, it almost surely needs SOME work.

Fully restored ... maybe $250.

If you really want it, well ... then that's totally up to you ... but that price seems verrrrrry high, to me.

Good luck !

Which was way too much? The first one or the second one? I know the first one was ridiculous.

[Neil Brooks]

Which was way too much? The first one or the second one? I know the first one was ridiculous.

Sorry. I think I missed one.

I think THIS one is way too much $$$: "DEWALT VINTAGE RADIAL ARM SAW - $250 (SHELTON, CT)"

[Neil Brooks]

I still might call the owner of that GA. He either wants what he wants, or .... has no idea that he's about 3-4x market value on his asking price.

If I could get that GA for something like $4-500 ... I'd probably buy them all day long.

Worth a call ... if you like the saw. It's BEEFY :)

[John Coloccia]

Sorry. I think I missed one.

I think THIS one is way too much $$$: "DEWALT VINTAGE RADIAL ARM SAW - $250 (SHELTON, CT)"

Thanks for your advice. I just responded to him and offered $100. I guess that's fair based on what I'm reading. We'll see what happens.

[Joe Angrisani]

John... I'm late to the party, but I have to cast a vote for an Omga. I have their "bottom end" RN-450, and I've been very pleased. The bearing/carriage design makes for a very solid motion, and there is virtually no play between motor and arm. If I found one in my little ol' Denver market, odds are there's a few floating around the much more populated northeast. In the world of plug-n-play RASs, there are few choices. Mainly, you have your $300-400 restored deWalts. For that much, I jumped on the new-ish Omga, not a project saw or a saw I knew nothing about the restore quality.

[david brum]

Hey, I just got an e-mail. It's still available. Should I go for it?

That's an MBF from the mid to late '50s, for sure. It's in beautiful condition, but the price is high unless they're rare in your area. I paid $75 for mine, although it needed some work. I agree that you have to count on replacing bearings, at least.

The MBF is a great home shop size saw with around a 12" crosscut. It is almost unbelievably well made, from an era before disposable appliances. The only real weakness on these saws is the .75hp motor. They struggle with deep cuts ( 2"ish) in hardwoods and are limited to an 8" blade. If you're working with smaller stuff though, they're a pleasure.

I retrofitted mine with a newer, bigger motor, but that's a different story.

[John Coloccia]

That's an MBF from the mid to late '50s, for sure. It's in beautiful condition, but the price is high unless they're rare in your area. I paid $75 for mine, although it needed some work. I agree that you have to count on replacing bearings, at least.

The MBF is a great home shop size saw with around a 12" crosscut. It is almost unbelievably well made, from an era before disposable appliances. The only real weakness on these saws is the .75hp motor. They struggle with deep cuts ( 2"ish) in hardwoods and are limited to an 8" blade. If you're working with smaller stuff though, they're a pleasure.

I retrofitted mine with a newer, bigger motor, but that's a different story.

These are my thoughts as well. Honestly, I really don't want to bring anymore large machinery into the shop. Ideally, I'd like to bring in a Hammer combo machine later this year, and get rid of some machines to free up space. Most of what I'd be cutting with it is 1" and less, but the cuts need to be precise. I'd like to be able to break down 8/4" lumber, but I can continue doing that on my table saw if I have to (and these cuts can be sloppy...it's just getting rough lumber down to manageable sizes).

[Myk Rian]

Thanks for your advice. I just responded to him and offered $100. I guess that's fair based on what I'm reading. We'll see what happens.
I paid $100 for mine, and then had to restore it.
That saw is advertised as being in better shape than mine was, but that's objective.
It has the table, legs, and dirty papers. A one owner machine? That is always a plus.
If it's really in good shape, and ready to use, $200 would not be TOO unreasonable.

[Larry Edgerton]

Hey, I just got an e-mail. It's still available. Should I go for it?

John, for $250 you could get a chance to try it out and see if the concept will work for your specialized needs. Its close and if it works and you decide you want a better one [OMGA!] you will not lose any money when you sell. I say try it. Better to try it on the cheap than to invest a lot and find it does not work for you.

But please do not try to rip with one of these! That is how most accidents that I am aware of happen.

Larry

[Joseph Tarantino]

I'm possibly looking to bring in a good, used radial arm saw. How do I identify the good ones from the bad ones? I need this thing to really be dead nuts accurate and to stay that way. I know the old ones are good, but how old? Which ones? How do I identify them? What's a fair price? LOL...I know I know, but I'll take any help I can get. :D

I'm just spending too much time fiddling around with my "spare" contractor saw, currently relegated to some slotting operations. It seems like I'm always adjusting it. I really need a tool I can rely on. I've already wasted half a day trying to find the latest gremlin, not to mention all the time spent compensating for imperfect performance after the fact.

Thanks for any help :)

this is a good review of what to check on
a used RAS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKSkZ1vAzNc&feature=related

and although they are generally not well regarded by a lot of woodowrkers (who believe only dewalt and delta built soild RASs), i wouldn't give up my c-man RAS unless i had to. it is an older model from the mid to late 60s, so it has a CI overhead arm, column support and column. once set up, it has held it's settings just fine. it does not, in my experience though, like to ve moved around, nor is it particularly fond of changing from 90*. however, they can be had for between $75 and $150 and, if you catch a bum unit, the motor can be turned in to emerson electric for $100, so your downside risk is minimal.

[John Coloccia]

So I picked it up. Everything on it is TIGHT. It looks hardly used. The there is some play in the arm that looks like it's coming from where the post mounts to the base. Either the base is flexing a bit or the post needs to be tightened up. Either way, it's nothing that can't be made solid. The important part is the arbor is solid and everything else is solid with no bearing work needed. Not bad for a weekend's worth of looking.

Thanks again, everyone. The advice was invaluable.

[John Coloccia]

The only thing I can't figure out right now is this annoying play in the arm. It seems like it's rock solid from the tip of the arm to the base, but that the base is flexing somehow. Is that normal? Should the base be bolted down to something to get rid of that play? It's only about .010" or .020 at the end of the arm, which isn't too bad I suppose, but it seems like I should be able to get rid of that. considering that everything seems to mechanically be tight. There's some hysteresis to it so something is shifting on something else, not bending, but it's not coming from the column/post.

Overall, I'm pretty happy, and a bit impressed, at how nice even the lower end tools were back in the 50's....those guys didn't fool around!

[david brum]

You aught to check out the DeWalt RAS Delphi forum (http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start). On the intro page is a link to their FAQ section. Every imaginable detail of how to properly adjust these saws is discussed by guys who take it seriously. Great info.

You've probably heard this before, but the classic manual on how to use a DeWalt for all of the possible types of cuts (there are many), plus a detailed description of how to construct a proper saw table (a requirement) is the Mr Sawdust book (http://mrsawdust.com/), written by Wally Kunkel.

You'll also need an RAS specific blade. Some of the guys really like the special WWI TCP blade from Forrest. I tried one and hated it. My current favorite is an Onsrud negative hook blade. They are available in 8.5" for ridiculously cheap on ebay. The Freud LU83 is supposed to be good also, although I haven't tried it.

Enjoy your saw.

[Neil Brooks]

Um.

I don't see YOUR photos, so ... you bought no saw.

Hypothetically, though....

Sounds like you're going to become intimately familiar with the gibs and bolts/nuts at the base of your column, if I'm understanding you right, about where the play is. Be liberal with penetrating oil, and gentle when you break stuff free. Often, nobody's touched the hardware for decades.

I happen to think that the combination of Kunkel's book AND Jon Eakes's book (http://joneakes.com/learning-curve/75-radial-arm-saws) (might be available, free, through the Yahoo DeWalt RAS group, if memory serves; cheap, otherwise) is the winning combo. Different approaches to tuning the saw. I read through both, and synthesized them, mostly, but -- generally -- found Eake's just a tad more to my liking.

[cough]pics[cough, cough]

Congrats. You've just had your first dose of yet ANOTHER highly addictive drug: old DeWalt RAS's :)

[Tom Rausenberg]

Overall, I'm pretty happy, and a bit impressed, at how nice even the lower end tools were back in the 50's....those guys didn't fool around!

Nice saw, John. Looks really clean in the CL photo. That saw really wasn't low-end back in the day. I went to vintagemachinery.org and looked up the MBF price with a stand in 1958. $275. That translates into $2,156 in 2012 dollars. Not cheap at all.

[John Coloccia]

My Internet us down at the moment, so I'm stuck with this stupid phone thing. Anyhow, I think I figured it out. When you tighten the gib, it loosens the column adjustment. You really need to play with them a bit to get it right. Now I'm down to +\- .010 at the very end of travel with no hysteresis. That's when I'm trying to knock it off line, so I'm happy. It should be dead nuts if I just let it cut without intentionally trying to mess it up.

These old machines really are impressive. The guy I bought it from said, "oh, I'll just carry it out for you...I'm in pretty good shape". I just giggled and asked him if he was sure. After the first try, we both carried it out. Heavy sucker. Lol. We had a good giggle about that.

And photos to come when I have an Internet that works again.

[bob stephens55]

Van, can you explain to me how the VFD (variable frequency drive)???? actually works with these saws?

thanks

[John Coloccia]

So as promised, here it is in person.


http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/jcoloccia/Giovanni Proto/DSC00311.jpg
This thing really is in quite good shape. We can't seem to find the wrenches for it, but it's really not necessary. Certainly not for tightening, and for loosening there's a way of banging the wrench on the table to get the nut to release...but the wrenches would be nice :) I did have to take it apart to the get the lock for the tilting mechanism undone...it was jammed in there solid. I tuned it up and everything is silky smooth.


http://i913.photobucket.com/albums/ac335/jcoloccia/Giovanni%20Proto/DSC00312.jpg
He tossed in this table that was welded up for it. I have all the paperwork too.

I made some test cuts tonight, and it works beautifully, so I'm happy :)

[Neil Brooks]

You done good, John.

She's a beauty :)

Be safe. Enjoy !

[Tim Howell]

Be sure you check the heel on the blade. Most people check for square off of one tooth and never think to check if the motor is square on the carriage both horizontal and vertical. You don’t set it and if its off – your 90 to the fence will give you a compound cross cut and miters will never match!
I use a jig for 45 miters and they are dead on. I use a Freud thin kerf hi-ATB 60 tooth 7 ¼”blade w/ stabilizers for miters. Discovered that by accident as it was a new blade for my old 40 year old hand held craftsman saw and it cut like a razor blade so I gave it a try on the radial for miters- best part – its only 19.95!. I also made a fixture to check all setting on my Radial using 2 dial indicators. I all ways recheck when changing from cross cut to rip. My Radial is 40 years old – never had problem – had 1 kick back ripping something I should have not been doing to start with. I always use a 4 roller tension board on the side and tension rods on top. No saw dust in my face either as I made a whole new guard that discharges out the rear with interchangeable deflectors. I can also rip 0-49” wide with a custom made 8’ front fence. Made lots of gadgets for this saw –micro adj carriage, digital read outs etc. I will cry the day it blows up. Last but not least ready for this – It’s a CRAFTSMAN 12” Radial Arm Saw, an old cast iron work horse.
I posted a photo with the 7 ¼” blade in and miter jig – note the guard. Way back in the years Craftsman made what they called an Industrial line of tools - every one of them still works. Can't say much for todays junk though.
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[Kevin L. Pauba]

I, for one, would be interested in seeing more of your jigs and fixtures.

[Van Huskey]

Van, can you explain to me how the VFD (variable frequency drive)???? actually works with these saws?

thanks

Variable frequency drive is correct. They can take a single phase input and output 3 phase power to you can run a 3ph motor. There are other ways to do this but if you only have one or maybe two machines VFD is the cheapest way to do it (discounting the flawed static phase converter). The VFD will also allow variable speed, motor braking, reversing, soft start and other things, obviously all of these would not be useful on a RAS but can be useful on other machines.